This week we gathered to commemorate our Year Six students completing their primary school years. In reflecting on the last year or two that they have had it would be easy to bemoan lost school days or lost opportunities, but I prefer to think about what has been gained this year.

Greek philosopher Plato wrote, “Our need will be the real creator” which has been translated in modern society as “necessity is the mother of invention”. Plato recognized that human beings are resourceful and when faced with a problem, we work to solve it. Albert Einstein wrote, “In the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity”. Over the last 2 years, we have been given what seems like a never-ending supply of opportunities. I am proud to be at a school where our staff, our students and our parents rise to these opportunities, take them on and prosper. Our Year Six students have managed to thrive where it would have been easy for them to step back or sit out. They have managed to come together as a group and form friendships and work together with only half the face to face time of previous years. Even though we were not in class or around the school anywhere near as much as in previous years, they have welcomed our new students into their ranks and have formed new friendships, some of which they will have for life.

This week there were two events that stood out to me as typifying the approach that our Year Six students have taken to the year. The first was seeing them putting in the extra work around class time to get their artwork completed for the sidewalk art exhibition next week. They are immensely proud of their skateboard deck creations and put in the extra hours to get them finished. The second event was the staging of the Junior School Production. With roughly half the time available for learning lines, songs, choreography and blocking of previous years they stepped up and produced two excellent performances that entertained our students at school and our parents watching from home. Yes, there have been many challenges for them this year but they have met these challenges, taken on the opportunities for growth, developed resilience and determination and, I hope, have taken pride in what they have achieved. Their approach to the year is an approach that will hold them in good stead for the rest of their schooling. Well done to our Year Six cohort for 2021.

Mr Donald Thompson

Head of Junior School

Madagascar - A Musical Adventure Jr

“It’s showtime, showtime, showtime. At Girton Grammar School.” Sang the very excited Year Six students, who were main characters in the Junior School Production of Madagascar – A Musical Adventure Jr.

After an extremely busy month before show week, the students were ecstatic that we were finally performing our show.

Thanks to the brilliant lighting effects provided by Mr Ian Scott, Mr John Macmillan, Mr Adrian Hodd and the theatre technicians combined with beautiful sets created by artistic painter Ms Samantha Lempio Franklin, Mrs Georgiana Rice, Mrs Lucy Butler Rees and Mrs Jenny Geyer, the John E Higgs Hall was transformed into another world. The audience of Junior School students and teachers were mesmerized as they began a whirlwind journey from the New York City Central Park Zoo to the city streets and subway, a ship filled with crate and finally the island of Madagascar.

The musical was filled with upbeat and energetic songs and dances which the children thoroughly enjoyed performing. The Hall was bursting with excitement and energy while the cast sang “I Like To Move It” for the final time.

Directing and performing the Junior School Production in 2021 saw many challenges for the students and teachers. Despite this, the students rose to the occasion, and their performance was outstanding. I am incredibly proud of the students and their achievements. The Junior School Production plays an integral part in the schooling experience for many students, and it is something they will never forget.

I want to thank the Junior School staff for all the support they have given the Production Team during a very busy year-end. I would also like to thank and acknowledge the support and encouragement from The Headmaster, Dr Clayton Massey and The Head of Junior School, Mr Don Thompson. We are so grateful for the opportunity to make magic happen on stage.

Please click on the image above to enjoy the gallery

Mrs Georgiana Rice

Teacher of Junior School Drama

Prep Drama Music Evening

On Tuesday 16th November the Preparatory students surprised and delighted their parents with a live Music and Drama Presentation. The students showcased the wonderful way they learn Drama and Music from a preparatory age. Even with the interruption of remote learning, the students were able to present a play for their parents, showing their talent by actions and expression. They also sang songs and showed how they learn tempo to create music. The evening culminated in a joint effort by students and parents alike singing along to the infamous ‘Peanut Butter’ song.

Year Two Strings Recital

The Year 2 Strings Programme is the beginning for many of our String players throughout the school. Students are introduced to the Violin, Viola, Cello, or Double Bass and receive tuition throughout the year. This year, during remote learning, students learned via weekly tutorial videos and kept in touch with Mrs Bartlett via Astra. We were unable to hold a live recital, so students were recorded playing all of the pieces learned in 2021. We hope you can enjoy this recital from some of our youngest instrumentalists.

Please click the image above to watch the recital

Year Two Camp: Corop

We excitedly arrived at school with our camp luggage and a positive attitude ready for Camp Kookaburra. We put our luggage against the wall and soon it rained. We ran to T-block in a rush with our belongings and had a photo taken before we left. Soon enough we were on the bus chatting or sleeping on the way.

When we got there, we sat down on the bench under the peppercorn tree. The camp staff told us to get our snack and enjoy it. When we finished, we got told the rules and who was in our cabins, everyone had a friend in theirs. Then we went on a tour around the camp, and we really enjoyed it. After the tour, we ate our lunch then we went to our cabins and unpacked our bags.

Then we went to get our activity groups and to do our first activity.

In orienteering we all had partners. With our partner, we had to use a little map of the camp to get to stamp our paper with little patterns. There were two different courses the indoor one and the outdoor one.

The next activity was initiatives, it involved working as a team. Some of the activities were hard and most of them were challenging.

Another activity was bouldering. We had to climb across the wall with a spotter watching so we don’t get hurt. Soon we got a harness on and Ms Juergens put on a harness and made sure we didn’t fall as we climbed up the wall as high as we could.

Low ropes was another activity. In the course, there were obstacles that were difficult and some were easy. The obstacles were low to the ground. We had to climb, balance and step through the obstacles working as a team.

The last activity was the games room and ga-ga ball. In the games room, we played lots of different games. Then we went outside to play ga-ga ball in the ga-ga pit.

Soon it was dinner time we had pasta and garlic bread, for dessert we had ice cream.

After we had dinner, we went for a walk. We saw a hare and got to look through the canola to see an animal but nobody knew what it was.

Then we got ready for bed. We got to talk and read for a bit, then we slept. In the morning the bell rang it was time for breakfast!

For breakfast we had cereal, then we got some toast and if you wanted an extra piece or some baked beans.

We did the last two activities and then we had lunch. For lunch, we had a hot dog and vanilla ice cream in a cone.

After lunch, we went for a walk to look at Lake Cooper. Silverton the sheep came with us.

Then we got on the bus and came home!

We had an awesome time and we were all exhausted after camp.

By Ava Vale (2 Jones), Loella Thomas (2 Aherne), Siofra O’Malley (2 Jones) Sophie Lee (2 Millward) and Thomas Yang (2 Aherne)

Lunchtime Volleyball

Recently, the Junior School students were fortunate to have our School Volleyball Captains, Hadi and Maddi come and run some activities during lunchtime. The students were taught the basic skills of volleyball and given information about how they can become involved in the future. They also got to see some of the Tokyo Olympic Games clothing and gear that the athletes had to wear at the games.

Thank you to Shiralee Bothe and the girls for organising this for our students.

Junior Band Programme

Annual Christmas Giving